Chapter: 5

A warehouse rooftop is the meeting point for our team of heroes. A few blocks away, an abandoned factory is now hosting a quiet meeting of Gotham's petty mobsters to the elite criminal masterminds once word got out about Sportsmaster and Icicle theft. An item like this had to move fast or else it would be harder to transport or sell later. The auction would start soon and end just as quickly so time was a factor on stopping them. The only thing stopping our heroes was not knowing if the bombs location was at the auction or not. They needed eyes on the target before they could move. As the team comes together, Batman gives them an update as Nightwing passes a quiver of trick arrows.

"Here ya go, Blondie." Nightwing hands Artemis the quiver. "Get familiar with these. You'll need them."

"I've put two people on the inside to put eyes on the bomb. Once they confirm, we move." Batman looking back in the direction on the warehouse.

"Who do we have on the inside?" Wally speaks up.

"Red Arrow and Cheshire." Nightwing response.

"Really, Roy is back in the game. That's awesome." Wally answers in amusement.

"I know Red Arrow but who's Cheshire?" Artemis adds as she walks up to the three at the edge of the roof.

"Cheshire use to work for the Shadows but she has been a double agent working for us, over two year now." Batman clarifies.

Nightwing lets out a chuckle. "Getting knocked up by Red Arrow also helped with her choice of leaving the Shadows."

Wally's jaw drops. "WHAAA?"

Nightwing looks over to Wally. "Oh I forgot to tell you that didn't I."

"Dude, not cool."

Batman cuts in. "Quiet, it's starting." Batman hands out two ear pieces for Wally and Artemis so they can hear whats taking place.

...

Inside the warehouse a large group is gathered in front of a crossover bridge where two men stand, Sportsmaster and Icicle. To bring the room to order Sportsmaster hits the hand rail with a collapsed spear.

As the room quiets down Icicle speaks out. "Welcome all to our little auction. Everyone here knows what the item is, the only question is who is going to start the bidding."

Numbers start to fly from multiple people starting at $100,000 and making its way up. As the price climbs up to $300,000, the bidding slows down. "310." from one. "320." from another.

In the back, a red headed man in a business suit with sunglasses stands beside a dark hair woman wearing a Cheshire cat mask holding a case. As they turn to look at each other, the woman nods then the man speaks up.

"500,000." He calls out.

The room turns to see where the bid came from spotting the couple.

As the two began to walk forward, the group slowly split apart allowing them to pass.

Sportsmaster knows the lady in the mask all too well. "Well, well, well. Look who came back to Gotham. How are you little girl?"

"Just fine dad. I brought an old acquaintance of ours." She stops just in front of the stair way, the man stopping beside her.

Sportsmaster tenses up. "You turning traitor on me, or bringing a hero to be dealt with to get back into my good graces again."

"Dream on, dad. I brought you a buyer. Surely you can tell the difference between a clone and the real thing."

"And the names Arsenal now." Stepping in front of Cheshire removing his sunglasses. "Not Red Arrow. Unlike him, I'm doing something more profitable with my life."

After taking a moment Sportsmaster then nods. "Nice name, Red. I like it."

"Since that's out of the way, can we get down to business."

Icicle joins the conversation. "I'm happy with $500,000. How do you want to pay for it young man, because I don't take checks."

"I would prefer wire transfers. If you don't have any accounts ready, I can take care of that for you as well." Arsenal folding the arms of his glasses and sliding them into his jacket pocket. Cheshire holds out a small metal case which he takes. "Of course, I need to verify the item before money can be transferred."

"Looks like your new boyfriend doesn't trust us." Sportsmaster responds.

"Of course I don't. This is a shady deal by shady men. Trust doesn't come easy in this line of work. Plus, if I deliver this item to my buyer and somethings wrong, there's no second chances for me."

"Can't argue with that." Sportsmaster turns to Icicle. "You good with that?"

"Yes." Icicle nods. "I can live with that. Head up the stairs and look down. You should be happy with what you see."

Arsenal looks back to Cheshire and motions for her to look. She makes her way up the stairs and stops in the center of the crossover bridge looking down a large hollow vat about twenty foot deep from the walkway. She look back at Arsenal with a smile.

"Very well." Arsenal smiles in agreement. "One transfer or two."

…

Back at the warehouse rooftop, Batman stands at ready.

"That's it. We move, now." Batman pulls out his grappling hook. Two teams, one low, one high. Nightwing and I will make the first move through the skylight."

Nightwing looks back at Wally. "Just like old times, right KF."

"Who knew I would miss this; and it's not KF anymore." Wally walks over to Artemis and picks her up bridle style. "Ready Artemis?"

With a deep breath placing one arm around his neck and keeping her bow in the other. "Yep, and you better start calling me Tigress from now own."

"Tigress huh." As he nods. "That's awesome. Now I just need a new name." Wally then takes off in a flash.

…

As both teams stand ready, Batman gives the order to take out the laptop in Arsenal's case with an EMP arrow.

As soon as the arrow hits its target, Batman and Nightwing crash through the skylight landing in the middle of the group of bidders. Some fight but most run causing mass panic and confusion. Arsenal along with Cheshire, notice the arrow used.

"Shit, my twin is here." Arsenal turns to Cheshire. Chesh, Move, NOW!"

As the two dart past Sportsmaster, he turns to follow with Icicle on his heals. Icicle pulls out a remote from his pocket and sets it. "I just set the bomb, we got 10 minutes to get out of here."

Just as they exit the building, everyone stops. Sportsmaster turns to Icicle.

"You did what?" Not hiding the anger in his voice.

"I set the bomb to go off."

"And how do we leave the city in 10 minutes, you moron."

Arsenal hears Sportsmaster. "What, you set the bomb?"

"Yep, Be seeing you kid, if you make it out alive." Icicle turns and runs down the ally heading towards the river.

"Dad, can you shut it down?"

"No can do little girl."

"Damn it, Dad. Why would you still do business with that guy. You know he's an idiot and now he just killed us all."

Arsenal walks towards the door. "I can stop it." but Sportsmaster catches his arm.

"No you can't. It's a chemical core. Once started it can't be stopped." Arsenal pulls his arm from Sportsmaster. "And you lied to me little girl." Turning his attention back on Cheshire. "The original Roy Harper has a cybernetic right arm."

"Of course I lied to you, why wouldn't I, or did you already forget that you teamed up with a man who doesn't care if he levels a city with your granddaughter in it."

"She's here? Where is the little one?" stretching the word 'is'.

"Somewhere safe and away from you." Roy spat out.

"Oh, you mean Paula has her. Yep, not going there."

"Hey! Family talk later. Big bomb remember?"

"Right. Well, I'm getting out of here. Catch you later, little girl." With that, Sportsmaster turns and runs in the same direction as Icicle.

"Let's go back in and help them. I'm sure Bat's can think of something." Cheshire nods and follows him in.

…